Gamer Tags
by EditorRuby
Summary: AU. Maka Albarn is sent to Shibusen, a reform school for "troubled youths" after an incident in her old high school. She has no idea what's in store for her; but luckily she has her faithful game: DWMA. Along her with new online friends. Especially one apply tagged Soul Eater Will the stars align for Maka's new adventure?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Dammit I'm dying!"

"Revive! Revive!"

"Anyone there? I'm up against a wall here!"

Loud shouts filled the young girls' headphones as she winced. She mashed her fingers against the keyboard fervently whipping out every combo she could think of. Her group was dying; no way they could survive the night.

"Eater! Come on focus!" She barked into the headgear. It was too late, large red letters sprawled across her screen, the all too familiar laughing, bloody moon chuckled at her as she heard a collective groan across her gear.

**_YOU LOSE_**

"I know I know." She growled into the headset, she rested her head on her desk, checking her clock. Early. 2 am actually. She had been playing for well over four hours now, not realizing that the night had passed so quickly, and her and her group had been just _this_ close to killing Asura; the last Kishin in DWMA.

"Listen it's real late here, I'm gonna head out." Said a voice on the other side, Black*Star, the loud guy with a god complex. "It's late as shit here and my old man is gonna kill me for being up this late."

"Scared of a little fight _oh almighty God_?" A voice drawled in response, one of the Thompson pistols; although Maka couldn't tell which one.

"No! I'm afraid of nothing and _no one._" He retorted loudly, in the back Maka could hear a muffled shout, a woman most likely. "SHIT SHIT" was the last thing he said before he logged off. The rest of them chuckled and Maka stifled a yawn.

"Tired Kami?" A boy asked on the other side, Eater. Kami, her mother's name, she had taken for herself as her screen name. Initially it had attracted a lot of creeps, asking if she was Asian, and her first attempted at the game was, needless to say, a really hallowing experience about how many predators there are out there.

"A little, E" She responded, calling him by his nickname that she had become to accustomed to. She always found that the name Eater, was weird, and oddly sexual. Black*Star was certain to zero in on this the moment they had met. "I should go too; I have to pack."

"For your new boarding school?" He asked. She made a low agreeing noise, stretching out.

"We better log off too." Kid said on the other line. Death the Kid was his handle, and he was lucky enough to know the Thompson pistols in person, and had in fact mentioned that they had been good friends for many years of their life. Even as far enough to say they all lived together, which was shocking; even more so when they refused to disclose the reason they had all moved in together. Though, it always came across as a sensitive topic, so no one ever mentioned it after the initial time.

"I should check on Black*Star." Came a timid voice from across the channel, that would be Mifune. From what they could gather, Mifune, was a shy, Japanese girl; who against all odds, came to form a partnership and oddly enough, to become close friends with the loudest game player. Close enough that they were constantly in each-others messages, enough so to exchange phone numbers. And so, all at once they logged off, leaving only Eater, and Kami (aka Maka) which, she would never admit, she liked the best.

The two gamers had become increasingly comfortable with one another of the past year they had played DWMA. As they both agreed to be partners when they joined, they spent the majority of their free time together. She knew things about him that the others didn't. Like how he was classically trained in piano, that he had an older brother, that he was currently residing in a "troubled kid" boarding school for his petty crimes. In exchange, he knew things about her: such as Kami is her mother's name, she can speak Japanese, she hates her father, and that she, is also being sent off to a boarding school.

Eater had explained that he had gotten caught one too many times publically intoxicated and had to be "rescued" by his parents after he was put in holding for the crime of both underage drinking, and public intoxication. With his parents at their ends, they sent him to what he called "the middle of fucking nowhere" to be "properly reformed". The others didn't know of this. Just her. It was their own little secret. In exchange, she told him all her horrors. The ones that got her sent to boarding school.

Her father, a cop, had been involved in Maka's little incident. Maka was known throughout school as the good girl with a temper. She was sweet enough, but cross her and she could knock you on your ass. Sadly, the group of visiting varsity boys did not know this fact when they crept up behind her, making sexist remarks and ended the whole thing by flipping up her school uniform skirt. In this act of blind rage, she removed her math textbook from her bag and smashed it into the leader's skull. Leaving him unconscious and in the hospital. As expected the parents were furious, the police, Maka's father, were involved in the case and after weeks of pleading and court, they came to the choice that she was to continue her education in Nevada at Shibusen Reform School for Troubled Youth. Far away enough from California where Maka was currently residing. Of course the boy was fine and only ever suffered a mild concussion, and everyone who knew the girl well enough agreed that to be so far from her family was the true crime, but there was no going back now. At 15, she was to continue her education elsewhere.

"So," the voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "where is this new fancy school?"

"Nevada" She answered, taking a bite of the apple she had beside her. "There's a reform school for 'troubled youths' like me" she bit back the bile that rose in her throat. She didn't belong in Shibusen and she knew it. She heard choking on the other side;

"R-really?" Eater asked, desperation lacing his voice.

"Yes…? What? Heard of it?" She asked, throwing the finished fruit in the trash.

"Heh. You could say that."

"Spill it Soul." She grinned, his true weakness. He disclosed to her his real name. Even though, initially, she did not believe him. Because no parent in their right mind would ever name their child that, he assured her his did.

"How come, _Maka_?" He drawled, using her own name in retaliation. Though she enjoyed how it sounded when he said it, she was thankful for the lack of physical contact so he couldn't see the redness in her cheeks. "you'll find out soon enough. See you soon." She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Ya, see you soon. I'll call you guys as soon as I touch down." She murmured, "g'night Soul"

"Night Maka." And with that, the line clicked dead.


	2. Chapter 2

She finally arrived in Death City after an hour of flight time and a few hours in a car that the school had sent to pick her up. They had advised her to leave her luggage in their care as they ushered her into the school. At the gates, a perky blonde woman with an eye patch greeted her. The smile plastered on her face made her stomach turn, like some sort of false reassurance. There had to be an ulterior motive to this woman.

There was not.

"You must be Miss Albarn! My name is Marie Mjolnir, I'm the dorm supervisor and crowd control attendant" The blonde woman grinned, she opened her arms wide and gathered the young girl within them, squeezing her against her breasts. When she released the now red faced Maka, she made a big fuss of fixing her crinkled white button up and plaid schoolgirl-esque skirt. "So sorry dear, I just get so excited when we get new students! Now, come with me, no time-wasting!" Her perky grin returned as she steered Maka up the seemingly never-ending front steps that was Shibusen.

The first stop was the dorms, two large black square buildings set up like apartments.

"On the left the boys dorms," she motioned with her hand, "on the right, girls. Oh and Maka?" She grinned sweetly. Maka made a faint _mmm_? noise. "Intermingling of different sexes within the dorms is _strictly forbidden." _The smile did not reach Marie's eyes, in fact she gave off a fairly eerie aura.

"O-oh. Yes ma'am." She muttered, she thought it best to go along with every rule, the sooner she behaved and kept her nose down, the quicker she can finish her studies and get back home. She just reminded herself that, she would need to repeat it like a mantra. As Marie opened the door to the girls' dorm, many young women turned to face Maka. They were sprawled over couches and beanbag chairs, some had chips or sodas between them, all of them in loungewear.

"Ladies. This is Maka Albarn, she will be joining us for the final years of her high school education. I expect everyone to be kind." Marie tutted, giving a once over with her good eye.

"Yes Mrs. Mjolnir." The girls said in unison. She felt like a trapped animal in a zoo, the way they all looked at her, hungry for the fresh meat.

"Excellent. Now, Miss Albarn, you will be rooming with Miss Nakatsukasa. Room 25 on the A-block. Elizabeth! Patricia! Please come and guide the young miss to her room please." As she did so there was a groan from the corner table, two young women stood up, both gorgeous with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing matching clothing in different styles. The smaller one in shorts, the taller one in pants, both clad in blue and red.

"Marie. Liz and Patti. It isn't so hard to get." The taller one scoffed. She gave Maka a once over as Marie just gave a small smile and a soft, sincere apology. Marie turned and left the building, Maka's one life line gone. "Don't worry girl," the taller one, Liz, she had figured out, said to her. Placing an arm around her and patting her on the shoulder, "it's not so bad here. It isn't like what the media makes it out to be." She explained, taking her younger sibling by the hand and ushering Maka up the stairs on the fare right side.

"Right! Right!" The younger girl, Patti agreed. She had what looked like a drawing of a giraffe in her free hand. "You get food, and a room, and games. It's okay."

"Plus you're rooming with Tsubaki. The sweetest girl in all of Nevada, no one really knows why she's here, but we don't ask either." Liz added. Maka nodded numbly, she couldn't even comprehend what was happening. It was like the past 24hrs were a total blur. She was so disoriented she could feel the world spinning and the earth shifting beneath her. "Hey. I get it. It'll take a few days, but you'll get there eventually. And when you do, come find us. Room 12, B-block." And with a knock on the door, the two sisters left as quickly as they came.

"One moment!" Came a sweet voice, Maka swore on her grave she recognized it. Soft with a slight tinged accent. The door swung open to reveal a tall busty woman, with long black hair tied up in a ponytail. "How may I help you?" She asked.

"My name is Maka Albarn, apparently I'll be rooming with you?" She asked, Tsubaki smiled and nodded her head.

"Oh yes, they brought over your things a little while ago." Motioning to the already placed bagging items on her empty single bed. As she walked in she noticed a very simple décor, light yellow walls, white gauzy curtains, Tsubaki's soft white bed spread neatly made in her own corner, with her desk cluttered with papers, pens and a photograph. Though what really caught Maka's eye was the monitor and desktop.

Maka began to put it all together, the monitor, the gaming, plus the familiar voice. "Do you…" she began in a shy voice, if she was wrong it wasn't a big deal, but if she was right… "Do you play a video game called DWMA?" The young Japanese girl looked shocked at this question. Red spread through her face as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"W-well. I suppose. Sometimes I may, occasionally…" She gave a soft smile, shifting on her feet.

"Do you know, maybe the group, Spartoi?" Maka asked, pushing her luck further.

"Oh! Well…"

"You're Mifune aren't you? The demon sword for the ninja." Maka said finally. "It's okay, I'm Kami." She gave a soft smile to the young girl.

"A-ah? Wait, then…Oh they'll be! Oh!" Tsubaki sputtered out, "I have to go!" She shouted abruptly before bolting out of the room.

So. That did not go according to plan, she had left the girl with more questions than answers. Much like Soul had on her last night in Cali. Even with her now even further from Soul, she couldn't help but think of him. The way her chuckled when she'd get upset or how he defined everything as 'cool' or 'uncool'. _Having a temper is not cool Maka_ he'd tell her on their private calls after everyone had logged off. Sometimes when she was upset she thought of those words, the way he'd talk her down from a temper. She felt her face began to heat up. How could someone, that she's never met, have such a destructive effect on her.

_You'll find out soon enough._

His words sent shudders down her spine. She had always been a woman of words. She just had no idea that someone else's could create such an impact on her. She was unpacking her clothing and bedspread when Tsubaki came running back in again, Liz and Patti in tow.

"Well, shit," Liz grinned, "nice to meet you Kami. We're the Thompson pistols and that is Mifune otherwise known as Tsubaki." She threw her arm around Maka, "man, have we got news for you. Your-"

"No!" Tsubaki covered Liz's mouth, "we were asked not to say. Don't spoil it." The elder sister grinned, giving Maka a sly wink.

"Oh, you'll like this." Before Maka could get out any questions a bell went off. "That'll be dinner." The girls grabbed Maka for what felt like the 100th time today, ushering her down to the great hall, a building between the dorms that all students ate in. On the walk over Maka began to loosen up.

"How do you deal with Black*Star? He's so loud all the time I'm surprised I don't tinnitus." Maka complained, the girls laughed.

"He's very kind, I promise. You just have to get used to it." Tsubaki smiled, Maka nodded thoughtfully. She couldn't believe how large Shibusen was, for a reform school a lot of the students she saw didn't look like tough villains. More just like tired, content teens, going off to their next meal. They all were talking and laughing with one another, the boys making jokes and pushing around one another.

It wasn't much different from her old school, except that now she was miles away from her friends and family. The thought brought the dark cloud back over her shoulders, she didn't belong here. She wasn't supposed to be here. She didn't do anything wrong. The world buzzed around her, the spinning got worse as they entered the great hall, living up to its name it was a storm with students, all grabbing trays of delicious foods and drinks.

"Yo!" A voice came from behind them, when she turned to the sound of a familiar voice, all she saw was a large tuft of white hair before the world started to spin more violently. She grabbed Tsubaki (the closest thing) for support, but it didn't stop her from lurching forward; and hitting the ground with a loud thud.


End file.
